Potions Class Questions
by Scarlynn Snape
Summary: Harry has his very first Potions Class and answers Snape's questions in a most unexpected way. Couple of swears in there. Harry and Snape may seem a little OOC.


**Here's a quick little one shot that I wrote. It's extremely pointless just so everyone is aware. Warning, there is a couple of swears in there.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters.**

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Harry Potter sat in between his two new friends, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley, in their very first Potions class. Harry was feeling slightly nervous for this class. He had heard from several of the older Gryffindors, including Ron's older brothers Fred and George, that Potions was one of the hardest and least fun classes at Hogwarts; this was mostly due to the professor that taught it. The students had told him that Professor Snape hated anyone and anything that was in Gryffindor and he favored his Slytherins above anyone else. Harry was used to being bullied, belittled, and made fun of at home, and he had decided that he wasn't going to take any of that here. Hogwarts was his new home. A home where no one would make fun of him or make him feel poorly about himself. With that in mind, he knew that if the Potions Master started in on him, he would fight right back.

Suddenly, the classroom door slammed open and a dark figure strode into the room. He stopped at the front of the room and turned to face the class. He crossed his arms across his chest and began, what Harry believed, one of the most rehearsed speeches at Hogwarts.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. Harry rolled his eyes; the man just sounded foolish. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses..." Harry just wanted to fall asleep right then and there. The man was really boring and to make it worse, he liked to draw out every phrase making Harry want to bang his head on the work table after every word. "I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death –" _Oh please. What a bunch of bollocks _Harry thought to himself. "If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Harry glanced over at the Slytherin side and snorted to himself. Half of those Slytherins, actually almost all of them minus Malfoy, didn't look like they could even tell one end of the cauldron from another. And Snape thought that the Gryffindors were idiots.

"Potter!" Snape suddenly shouted making Harry jump slightly in his seat in surprise.

"Yes sir?"

"Tell me what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Harry gave the man a look and blinked twice at him. He had absolutely no idea what the hell the man was talking about. He had read the entire first year potions book before he had come to Hogwarts and knew that that was not even in the book. The man was trying to make a fool out of him. Well, Harry would show him. "Forgive me, sir, but if you're truly wondering then I would check the potions book that is on your desk. It might be in that one because I don't remember reading about that in mine."

The entire class was quiet. Harry could tell that some of them wanted to laugh, but they were too scared to. Even Malfoy had a look of surprise on his face. Snape gave Harry a fierce glare, but Harry thought he saw the man smirk slightly before doing so. "Your cheek is not appreciated here, Potter. Let's see if you know this one; tell me where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know, Professor. Why don't you try the one that's shoved up your arse?" Hermione gasped in surprised and gave Harry a look of horror. She couldn't believe that he was talking to a teacher like that and apparently neither could Ron because he was doing an extremely good impression of a fish out of water.

Snape's furious gaze only seemed to intensify at Harry's latest statement. "Do you think you're funny, Mr. Potter? Do you think that this class is a joke?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Potter, enough of this. You are trying my last nerve. Tell me, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"Professor, why do you keep asking me all of these questions? I would think that a Potions Master would know the answers to these, but I guess I was wrong. Pity, clearly your reputation doesn't proceed you."

"What's a pity, Mr. Potter," Snape sneered at him, "is clearly fame isn't everything. You were unable to answer a single one of my questions correctly and you gave me nothing but cheek. Stay after class."

Harry nodded and Snape continued with the lesson. Ron and Hermione kept sending him looks throughout the rest of class, but Harry just shrugged them. He felt extremely proud of himself. He had finally been able to defend himself. However, that proud feeling soon grew into one of fear and dread when it was just Harry and the potions master left in the room. Harry remained at his desk, afraid to move or say anything not wanting to anger the professor. Finally, after what felt like hours, Snape finally spoke up.

"Potter, would you care to tell me what that was all about? The truth, if you will."

Harry looked at him confused, but answered him anyway. "My relatives usually bully me and push me around when I'm at home. When I came here, I decided that I wasn't going to get bullied anymore so I pushed back. I'm sorry for what I said, sir, but you just reminded me so much of my relatives."

Snape merely sat there and stared at Harry for several long moments. Finally, he sat back in his chair and asked, "You live with Petunia, don't you?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. My Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and my cousin Dudley."

"I see," Snape said with a nod. It was quiet for several more moments. When Snape spoke again, Harry was surprised by what he said. "Twenty points to Gryffindor, Potter. That was a very Slytherin move of you. In all my years of teaching, I have never had a student stand up to me like that before. That took balls, Potter. Your mother would have been proud."

"Did you know her?"

Snape nodded. "I did. We were friends and now I am going to make sure that you never return to your relative's house and come and live with me. Would you like that, Harry?"

Harry nodded his head enthusiastically. "Very much, sir."

"Good. Now off with you. I shall see you here tonight at seven."

Harry raised an eyebrow at the man. "Why am I coming here at seven, sir?"

Snape gave him a smirk. "Did you really think that I would let you get away with that kind of cheek unpunished?"

Harry hung his head. "I have detention, don't I?"

"You don't even need an answer do you, Potter?"

"I guess not."

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**How was is? Review on it please! There is a sequel now posted. It's called Continuous Questions. Go check it out.**


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